by | February 8, 2012

calm down and eat less

Find me a woman (or man) who does not want to be calmer or slimmer… or both. It is, quite honestly, all that most of us really want, especially in February when the last few weeks have been about nothing but failed diet attempts, mixed with the stress of feeling penniless after Christmas.

Charlotte Watts, a nutritional therapist and experienced yoga teacher, and Anna Magee, an award-winning health journalist, have brought out a book (I mean, bible) to take us to a better place. The De-Stress Diet promises a world where we are not as frantic and therefore do not crave the fist-full of After Eight mints I seem to consume as I rush to finish my deadlines or the childrens’ homework.

Read on to find out more about Charlotte’s lifestyle advice:  http://www.westlondonliving.co.uk/health-fitness/fitness-professionals/the-de-stress-diet/

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by | February 6, 2012

review of Dabbous: a good egg

On a bitterly cold night, attending a restaurant opening did not seem quite as appealing as a dvd-takeaway evening on the sofa.  Except that this was not any old restaurant opening.  Dabbous restaurant and bar, located in the heart of London’s West End, is Ollie Dabbous’ first solo venture and, as he is recognised by many as a culinary pioneer, the sub zero temperatures were not about to deter me.

Needing a replacement Him for the evening, I dug out my well-thumbed black book from days of old.  Aged 16, we would never have eaten anywhere quite so glamorous, but First Love and his passion for fine dining would make him a more than suitable stand in. We were well over-due a ‘life catch-up’ and Ollie’s exquisite eating extravaganza would be the perfect setting.

read my review here:  http://www.culturecompass.co.uk/2012/02/06/review-of-dabbous/

 

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by | February 5, 2012

checking into scarf heaven

Raise your hand if you thought that a scarf was an item of clothing worn to keep your neck warm.  Ok put it down.  Now raise your hand if you knew that a lighter scarf can be worn in summer with a vest top.  The divine Katie Lightfoot, founder of new label, Mercy Delta, knows everything we should ever need to know about a long yet versatile piece of luxurious fabric with prints to make you squeal with delight.  Already stocked in Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Matches and Trilogy (and more), I met Katie to hear how she has managed to achieve so much, in a possibly saturated market, in such a short period of time.

The answer is quite simple.  Katie is an established fashion agent for a number of ultra cool brands and instead of knocking on trendy doors with a bag full of wares; she was pestered, and then urged, by a Harvey Nichols buyer to bring out her own range of scarves.  Her iconic look has always been the big sunglasses and the even bigger scarf.  Now she simply sells what she wears.

I oo-ed and aah-ed over the diverse range of finest cashmere (or super-soft modal) scarves, stoles and wraps, which were all as utterly gorgeous as the next.  Her prints are as inspiring as the colours are sensational.  What luck for my girlfriend turning 40th the following day; the only problem was which one to choose….

Aged 29, there is no mistaking Katie’s entrepreneur success.  It would be so much easier to like her though if she was awful coffee-company and not so attractive.

www.mercydelta.com

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by | February 4, 2012

Bake me a bun as fast as you can

I first walked past one of the two Nordic Bakeries on Golden Square and, although running late, was lured in by the mystically divine smell of their signature Finnish cinnamon bun.  How could such a calm, elegant café selling fresh traditional Scandinavian fare have escaped my radar?  Without doubt, this was to be my next ‘fabulous find’.

There is a huge appeal in all things Nordic.  For a start, the Scandinavian way of life looks a great deal less hectic than ours but also these Northern Europeans have a distinct sense of style using simple, elegant lines.  Designed by iconic Nordic gurus such as Kaj Franck and Alvar Aalto, the furniture and tableware at Nordic Bakery, ensure that the experience is a legitimate as well as harmonic one.

In my calculated way, I managed to schedule a meeting with a scarf-queen (my next ‘fabulous find’ – look out for a forthcoming blog post!) at the Marylebone branch and then, not having had enough, persuaded Kooky and Locket (in town running errands) to join me for a spot of lunch.  Kooky couldn’t choose between heavy-smoked salmon with dill on rye and the sliced boiled egg with pickled mustard herring, also on rye.  Locket is still emailing about how much she adored the delicious egg and herring and I have realised that my love of cinnamon is greater than I ever imagined.  Baked on site, there is a host of buns, cakes and cookies to try to avoid.

I hear that the owners of Nordic Bakery are passionate about dark rye, cinnamon buns and coffee.  It seems that it is contagious; I am now too.

Nordic Bakery Marylebone, 37b NewCavendish Street, W1      www.nordicbakery.com

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